Will both FIU and FAU finish 2025 with bowl eligibility?

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Will both Florida International and Florida Atlantic finish the 2025 season bowl eligible? The final two weeks of the season will answer this regionally profound question.

FBS teams need to win six games (.500 on the season) to be eligible to participate in a bowl game. Both FIU and FAU have spent two decades at the nation’s highest level and have each played in five bowl games, with the Owls (4-1) having seen more postseason success than the Panthers (2-3).

This season, the Panthers (5-5) are ahead of the Owls (4-6) in the race for bowl No. 6. By defeating Liberty in overtime last week, FIU enters its final home game of 2025 with a 5-5 record entering a crucial matchup with Jacksonville State, which leads the C-USA standings with a perfect 6-0 conference record. If the Panthers lose that game, they will finish the season on the road against Sam Houston State, which is currently riding a two-game winning streak after starting the season 0-8.

It seems as though a win in either of the next two games is in the cards for FIU, which CBS Sports projects to take on Southern Miss in the 68 Ventures Bowl. The Panthers reinvented their offense with the appointment of quarterback Joe Pesansky. The fifth-year senior has started the past two games and led FIU to two straight wins. He scored five touchdowns against Middle Tennessee and scored two touchdowns with 206 yards passing against Liberty.

Despite their six-game winning streak, the Gamecocks play every game close has been close for the Gamecocks and they are led by a powerful rushing attack which averages 260.2 rushing yards per game, the fifth highest in the nation. Junior running back Cam Cook’s 1,313 yards is behind only Missouri’s Ahmad Hardy for the FBS lead.

If nothing else, the Panthers are expected to make it an entertaining game.

As for the Owls, these next two games are do-or-die. At 4-6, FAU can’t afford to lose either of the next two games if it wants to remain in play for bowl eligibility. The Owls (3-1 at home) are at their best when playing on their turf but will face a UConn team looking for its second straight 9-win season and East Carolina, which is currently contending for a spot in the American Athletic Conference championship game.

The Owls’ defense will face a tough task against the Huskies and their quarterback Joe Fagnano, who in his sixth season in college, has thrown 25 touchdown passes against one interception. The independent Huskies sport a top-20 offense in the FBS, averaging 36 points per game.

The Owls have a formidable offense of their own. With the addition of the transfer duo from Western Kentucky, quarterback Caden Veltkamp (2,971 yards, 22 TD, 14 INT) and receiver Easton Messer (847 yards, 5 TD), FAU averages 329 passing yards per game, which leads the FBS.

If the Owls’ passing prevails and they upset UConn, their season finale against ECU will be set up as the biggest game of 2025. Win or stay home.

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Norman Powell and Bam Adebayo took over the fourth quarter in win over the Warriors

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The Warriors’ visit to Kaseya Center was a tuneup for the Heatles, not having to deal with Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green. Even on a night when Norman Powell was dormant until the fourth quarter, it went unlike the loss at home against the Cavaliers, who were down three starters on Nov. 13. 

 

The hosts got Bam Adebayo back after he missed six straight games, and he scored 20 points on jumpers and on rim attacks. After the game, he said he felt good and was “Just trying to find a rhythm, not overdo it, and let the game come to me.”

 

Despite going cold and losing the ball five times by the end of the first quarter, the Heat led by nine because they got multiple baskets from Andrew Wiggins, Davion Mitchell, and Pelle Larsson, plus the Warriors missed their first 12 shots, being unable to bend coverages.

 

The Heat’s carelessness continued as their turnover count hit nine, and the Warriors closed the gap, spraying them with a 14-2 run. Adebayo got his crew somewhat back on track, scoring on a baseline drive and making a floater on the left side through contact.

 

The Heat went to halftime ahead 49-45, while their half-court offense was in the gutter, scoring 74.4 points per 100 plays, good enough for the fourth percentile. Their other issues were being down on the glass by six, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. plus Simone Fontecchio, two of the team’s ignitable reserves, combined for only 12 points on 25% shooting.

 

Subsequently, Golden State’s coverage, including a zone, was effective in slowing down the Heat to three makes in 13 tries in the lane. They also took their first lead of the game halfway through the third quarter as the Heat had their worst defensive stretch. Coach Erik Spoelstra said, “We’ll continue to get more comfortable. I was more uncomfortable with some of the decisions and semi-transition, or against their man [coverage].”

 

Yet Miami was able to survive because Powell erupted for 17 points in the fourth on deep jumpers and drive-bys. Adebayo also scored seven in a row to put the game out of reach. 

 

The Heat won 110-96. In spite of the Heat getting out rebounded by 10, and their attack being neutralized, they contained Golden State’s half-court offense to 76.1 points per 100 plays, good enough for the sixth percentile, per Cleaning the Glass. Powell said Adebayo’s presence had a “really big effect,” and that, “Having him on the floor kind of controlling the defense was huge for us. We definitely missed him, and we’re glad to have him back.”

 

Other notes:

  • Second-year player Pelle Larsson had sixth game in the last seven nights scoring in double figures. He’s making it impossible for Spoelstra to shelve him when Tyler Herro returns.

 

  • Jaquez had a poor night in the scoring department, shooting 33.3%, but impacted the game more as a playmaker, racking up seven dimes, the most on the team, against two giveaways.

 

  • Kel’el Ware went back to bench because Adebayo returned, and he had a big night on the glass, recovering 16 rebounds in 19 minutes. Spoelstra said, “I think Kel’el was really good tonight. Adebayo was complimentary of him after the game.

 



Panthers QB Joe Pesansky earns his Miami moment with homecoming heroics

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Shortly after defeating Liberty in overtime in his second start as a Panther, Florida International quarterback Joe Pesansky proclaimed to the camera, with his teammates behind him, that he “is in the greatest city in the world.”

Pesansky went from being hoisted in the air by his teammates to rejoicing with friends and family to then meeting the media for his postgame press conference in a matter of minutes. He admitted at the time that he was “still coming down from the high.”

”Definitely one of the most exciting moments of my life,” he said.

The Tampa native spent four seasons in the FCS circuit with Holy Cross before transferring to FIU. He spent much of the season as the backup quarterback with a few minutes of playing time here and there. He came into the midweek road contest at Missouri State and led a touchdown drive to put the Panthers within a score in the final two minutes.

“That’s the luxury of having a veteran guy,” FIU head coach Willie Simmons said. “When we signed Joe this past January, we were excited because we were getting a guy who played a lot of college snaps and started all last year. And so knowing [Keyone Jenkins] was the incumbent and coming into the season as a starter, you wanted some security at the position, and Joe’s given us that.”

That was the last time FIU suffered a loss this season.

Since naming Pesansky the starter, the Panthers have won two straight games and are one win away from their first bowl berth since 2019, a season highlighted by a rare victory over the Miami Hurricanes. The Panthers host C-USA leader Jacksonville State on Saturday and close out the season on the road at Sam Houston State the next week.

”I’m just so excited for my teammates and this team,” Pesansky said. “This place hasn’t been to a bowl game in a while. Obviously, we’re not there yet, but it’s very feasible.”

Pesansky became the first-ever FIU football player to account for five touchdowns in one game (four passing, one rushing) in the Panthers’ 56-30 road win over Middle Tennessee. In a 34-27 win over Liberty, he completed 24 of 34 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns in his first career overtime start.

“He drove the car,” Simmons said. “Like we say, you’ve got a lot of great pieces around you. You don’t have to do anything extraordinary, just drive the car. And he’s been driving it perfectly, and the offense has been clicking with him there.”

During that crucial period, Pesansky went from falling down on the first snap to throwing a dart in the end zone to redshirt senior receiver Maguire Anderson for his first career touchdown.

“That was all coaching,” Pesansky said. “[FIU offensive coordinator Nick Coleman] told me on either Tuesday or Wednesday, he goes, ‘If they’re in cover zero and we run that play, you’re gonna throw it to the guy over the ball in the middle of the field.’ And I lined up, I saw the look, I knew exactly where I was going with the ball. Maguire knew exactly what to do, and that’s coaching.”

Origins

Despite being from Tampa, Pesansky was born in West Chester, PA, and grew up a Philadelphia Eagles fan watching games with his father. He comes from an athletic family, as his sister was a rower at Alabama, and his brother, Peter, currently plays for North Carolina as an offensive lineman.

Unlike his brother, Pesansky was a “small, skinny kid” who didn’t grow until his high school days. His friends steered him from running cross country to joining the football team at Jesuit High School in Tampa. In three years as a starter, he led Jesuit to a 29-7 record and threw over 6,700 career passing yards with 80 touchdowns.

“I kind of had a weird path to football,” Pesansky said.

Pesansky originally saw himself entering the sport as an aspiring broadcaster, but watching the 2019 LSU Tigers winning the national championship with Joe Burrow under center inspired him to strive for a life as a Division I collegiate quarterback.

“He was the one who inspired me to be a Division I quarterback and really want to take this thing to the next level,” Pesansky said.

Up Next

Jacksonville State enters the Panthers’ final home game of the season undefeated in C-USA play and on a five-game winning streak. Every game has been close for the Gamecocks, but their powerful rushing attack usually wins the day. JSU averages 260.2 rushing yards per game, which is the fifth highest in the nation. Junior running back Cam Cook’s 1,313 yards is behind only Missouri’s Ahmad Hardy for the FBS lead.

10 FIU seniors, including Pesansky, will be honored on Senior Day this Saturday.

The Miami Dolphins won the first NFL game played in Spain in overtime against the Commanders.

Pressure Point: Dolphins avoid pain in Spain despite fourth-down failure

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Say this for Mike McDaniel, the Miami Dolphins’ coach isn’t afraid to put his neck on the chopping block.

McDaniel’s decision to go for it on fourth-and-goal at the 1 rather than try a short field goal that would have put the Dolphins head by three points with 1:44 left in the fourth quarter Sunday in Madrid, blew up in his face when Ollie Gordon II was thrown for a loss.

It was the second time in the second half that the Dolphins advanced to the shadow of the Washington Commanders’ end zone and came away with zero points

Somehow, fate blessed the Dolphins with a 16-13 win in overtime on Riley Patterson’s walkoff 29-yard field goal. The game was essentially decided by the only turnover of the game, cornerback Jack Jones’ interception of Marcus Mariota’s pass on the first play of the extra period.

And McDaniel, whose future with the Dolphins is very much in question, survived to coach another day.

His decision to eschew the near-certainty of kicking the field goal to take the lead is a rarity in that situation.

I don’t necessarily disagree with it. He clearly didn’t trust his defense to keep the Commanders from responding with a score of their own.

And with good reason. The Fins defense struggled to make an impactful play all day before Jones came through with only their third interception of the season. They didn’t force the Commanders to punt until three minutes remained in the third quarter.

“I didn’t want to give them the ball back with good field position and a good chance to tie the game,” McDaniel said in his postgame remarks. “I definitely would not have made the call if I thought it was going to fail. … “I thought the play was going to work, and it didn’t.”

Report: Ross favors keeping McDaniel, Tua

Earlier Sunday, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported that Dolphins owner Steve Ross favors keeping McDaniel as coach and Tua Tagovailoa as quarterback next season.

Despite McDaniel’s often head-scratching decision-making and game management and Tagovailoa’s uneven play, this disappointing Dolphins season has taken a turn in their favor.

The Dolphins go into the bye week on a resurgent path at 4-7, with wins in three of their past four games and the lightweight Jets and Saints up next.

Sunday, they were outplayed in many ways by an underachieving Commanders team that has now lost six in a row.

Have to wonder what the crowd at Madrid’s historic Santiago Bernabéu Stadium thought of the first NFL game played in Spain. Most of it showcased the flailing and failings of two 3-7 teams.

Dolphins make case as Spain’s team

The drama in the fourth quarter and overtime was the reward for suffering through a lot of sloppy play. Ultimately, it gave the local futbol fans something they could relate to:

A game decided by kicking.

It was almost like a soccer shootout.

The Commanders’ Matt Gay missed a 56-yard attempt that would have won it in the final minute of regulation. Gay missed two of four attempts in the game.

Patterson made all three of his tries, including the winner, ending a messy affair with a Messi-like sure shot.

During the week leading up to the game, Dolphins officials made known their desire to be the team of the Spanish-speaking world.

There is sentiment in South Florida that says: Go ahead, you take them.

While NFL fans in Spain can scan the list of more competent franchises and respond: No thanks, we don’t want them.

Call it disdain in Spain.

Certainly, there is plenty of that back home. Yet the Dolphins, a team with so many maddening tendencies, is revving up hope of staging a late-season, albeit still unlikely run at a playoff spot.

Unlikely, considering they face a final-month stretch run against Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Tampa Bay and New England.

Dolphins’ Achane piling up yards

Nonetheless, I’m not with those Dolfans who want everything torn down and discarded. There are parts worth holding on to.

It’s just increasingly difficult to trust in Tua, who was losing the showdown of Hawaiian quarterbacks until Mariota threw the fateful pick.

Tagovailoa’s lack of ability to escape pressure continues to stand out. If his first read isn’t open, he becomes a sitting duck for rushers.

In a pedestrian performance Sunday, Tagovailoa’s best contributions were avoiding turnovers and handing off to De’Von Achane and Gordon.

The emphasis should continue to emphasize the running game, which produced 169 yards Sunday.

Achane is a standout talent who is on a remarkable run. He had 120 yards rushing on 21 carries (5.7-yard average), and over the past two weeks has 390 yards from scrimmage.

Dolphins have players to build around

Using lineman Daniel Brunskill as an extra blocker has boosted the running game. Injured tackle Austin Jackson may return for the next game.

In addition, Greg Dulcich is providing production at tight end, a distinct upgrade from Tanner Conner, who was jettisoned.

Jordyn Brooks remained the bright spot on defense with 20 tackles. The defense has assets; they just don’t make enough plays like Jones made. Juju Brents shows promise but left with an ankle injury. Young defensive linemen Kenneth Grant, Jordan Phillips and Zeek Biggers are improving.

One more thing, the Dolphins can claim a distinction that no other NFL team can. They are undefeated on Spanish soil.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for more than four decades. Follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @CraigDavisRuns.

“This is the end of the Benn- Eubank saga…”: Conor Benn destroys Chris Eubank Jr. in rematch

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Conor Benn dismantled Chris Eubank Jr. in their rematch from April, splitting the bouts 1-1, and earning the respect of his foe, who called him a “drug cheat.” The latter knew from round one of their middleweight show down that he was mistaken about how the night would unfold, and now questions remain about his future… while Benn wishes to return to the welterweight division.

 

Benn didn’t rush in with the blind fury that powered him through the fist fight, but instead controlled aggression. He raised his jab frequency and shots to the midsection, which softened defenses for clean, vicious right-handed strikes to the head that sent the crowd in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium into a frenzy. 

 

Eubank was a man way too light for his body after the weight cut and rehydration limit of 170 pounds. It would have been easy to mistake him for a prisoner in a gulag before the weigh-in. He appeared to take every blow twice as hard and had no pop on everything he gave back.  

 

Perhaps Eubank’s finest moment was in round three, tagging Benn’s low-ducking movement at close range, but his action was unsustainable. He kept eating jabs, including nine in round eight while connecting on zero, and he was pieced with 49% of Benn’s power shots, per Compubox.. 

 

Eubank desperately needed a knockout in round 12, and instead went down from a two-piece and again from a chopping right hand, never putting the outcome in doubt. The judges scored it unanimously for Benn: 119-107, 116-110 and 118-108. In his post-fight interview, Benn said, “This is the end of the Benn- Eubank saga. Done and finished. It’s over.”

 

Benn declared the family rivalry over, and said he wants a piece of Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight title, or Ryan Garcia, “Rolly” Romero, Devin Haney, and “all of them yanks.”.   

 

Eubank didn’t commit to a rematch. If this was the last go-around, it leaves the Eubank-Benn rivalry at two victories for the Eubanks (1990 & 2025), one draw (1993), and one win for the Benns (2025).

 

Before leaving his presser, Eubank said he’d take time off and didn’t want to discuss his future in boxing. As much as he was affected by the weight cut, the first confrontation between him and Benn was a savage brawl that wasted a lot of himself. It will help him to go up to super middleweight (168 pounds), but he is in the last chapter of his career. 

 

“Conor Benn put on a hell of a fight,” Eubank said. “He had a great performance. He did everything that was asked of him, and I congratulate him for his performance tonight.”

 



Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Karl-Anthony Towns and Landry Shamet power the Knicks over the Heat

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Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo watched in street clothes as the Heat came up short against the Knicks in New York in Emirates Cup group play. The hosts were without Jalen Brunson, but Karl-Anthony Towns got the extra touches, rampaging for a half, until Landry Shamet, of all people, clobbered coverages.

 

Towns fried schemes in the first quarter for 18 digits. But the Heat countered, making seven 3-pointers in 11 tries, multiple belonging to Norman Powell. The reserves also picked up the slack when he rested as the half-court and transition attack thrived, pushing the crew to a 35-32 lead.

 

Knicks forward OG Anunoby couldn’t continue after straining his hamstring in five first-quarter minutes, yet his team continued to shred Miami’s half-court defense without him. They took a 78-68 lead going into halftime, mostly because Towns had no conscience, even extending his output to 31, including six 3-pointers. Jordan Clarkson added 13 points off the bench, too.

 

The Heat saw some resistance from New York’s zone, but they finessed their way to the line and got to the heart of the defense eight times, plus nailed three 3-pointers. Seven of them logged multiple field goals by intermission, but Powell (5) and Kel’el Ware (4) led the unit. 

 

They subsequently traded baskets and free throws, unable to close the gap until Pelle Larson made two corner treys and Davion Mitchell three extra free throws. Josh Hart picked up his fourth foul, bringing Mikal Bridges back in, and New York’s defense started to show signs of wear and tear. Mitchell Robinson picked up his fifth penalty, and they flashed more of their zone.

 

The fourth quarter’s start was a disaster for the Heat, giving up multiple offensive rebounds, fouling Shamet on a 3-point attempt, and giving up a Bridges pick-6 as they went cold, going down 14 points with nine-and-a-half minutes left. The visitors were never able to get back within striking distance despite Powell, making floaters and deep shots.

 

The Heat lost 142-130. Powell had 38 points, including eight 3-pointers, and Jaquez logged 23 digit on 45% shooting.

 

New York tallied 113.3 points per 100 half-court, good enough for the 90th percentile, per Cleaning the Glass.

Coach Erik Spolestra said, “We just have to collectively do better. We understand what it is. So now we’re going to get to work. We know what we have to correct. Is it easy? No.”



 

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat soil themselves in second half, losing to the short-staffed Cavaliers

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The Heat were upset by the Cavaliers on Vice Night because they ran out of gas in the fourth quarter, couldn’t guard without fouling, and were careless with the ball, turning it over 21 times. The visitors, minus three starters (Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley), deployed their eighth starting lineup in 12 games, and they made 72.7% of shots in the lane in the final stretch.

 

Coach Erik Spoelstra said, “This will be a lesson not for this weekend, but having that maturity, that edge to treat it with the same urgency as the other night.”

 

The understudy, Kel’el Ware, outplayed Jarrett Allen in the first quarter with rim attacks, a corner trey and two freebies, while providing sharp back-line help. Additionally, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Andrew Wiggins and Norman Powell buried close and long-range baskets, pushing the Heat to a 38-29 lead at the end of first period. Yet the first signs of the Heat’s impending doom were five turnovers.

 

Then Cleveland’s 11th man in minutes, Craig Porter Jr., started carrying them with long-range strikes and piercing the heart of the defense with jabs and kickouts. The Heat also got careless with the ball, turning it over four extra times, and went cold because Cleveland upped the intensity guarding in transition and partly due to some missed open shots. The Cavs even tied the game with 15 seconds left in the half, but Norman Powell reclaimed the lead going into halftime (69-66), slicing past Allen to cup for the basket plus the foul.

 

At intermission, the Heat’s double-digit scorers were Powell (17) and Simone Fontecchio (10). Their transition offense was in the mud, too, but they were significantly better in the half-court, scoring 102.7 points per 100 plays. 

 

In the third quarter, Miami kept ramming into the paint, making eight shots, but seven more turnovers and quick baskets off them allowed the Cavaliers to hang around.”We were able to extend the lead to double digits, but I feel like we took our foot off the gas,” Powell said.

 

The fourth quarter started with the Heat ahead 97-93, but they committed their fourth foul of the period two minutes in, and Cleveland took their first lead on a drive from Luke Travers. Coach Erik Spoelstra summoned his troops shortly after, but they couldn’t crack Cleveland’s code, and he was forced to call another stoppage with half the quarter left as they fell behind by 10. 

 

Allen was the best big man on the floor and sprayed four shots in Miami’s interior in the fourth quarter. Aside from that, the Heat only made five in the paint (out of 13), and they also allowed the Cavs to be the nastier team heading to the finish line.

 

The Heat lost 130-116 after getting outscored by 18 in the fourth, despite the Cavaliers making only 18.2% of their 3-point attempts late. Powell was the team’s only scorer in double figures in the second half (10).

 

Jaquez said, “We’re going to take this as a learning experience.”

 

 

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Heat beat Cavaliers at the buzzer

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Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson said before the match that it wasn’t the same team his Cavaliers wiped out by a combined 122 points through four playoff games, and the Heatles proved his point by pantsing them minus their two All-Stars (Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro). Miami’s streak at home extended to 5-0

 

Cleveland boat raced the hosts in the first five minutes, forcing coach Erik Spoelstra to call a timeout after a 15-5 hole. Subsequently, the Jaime Jaquez Jr. show began, igniting the crew with drive-bys and kick-outs in the half-court, helping them cut the deficit down to five.

 

The defense then neutralized the Cavs to 32% shooting by staying at the hip on drives and helping promptly. Meanwhile, they kept attacking in sixth gear, racing down the court for shots to the body and from 3-point range. Norman Powell also added seven free throws, assisting in cutting off the flow for the Cavs by stopping the clock and making them check the ball in.

 

They went to halftime ahead 62-53. Powell led all scorers with 18 digits while Jaquez (7) and Kel’el Ware racked up the most rebounds.

 

Donovan Mitchell finally erupted in the third quarter, slicing through schemes, and the Heat’s transition defense slipped, giving up multiple treys as the Cavs only cut it to six. The Heat also broke out a zone, and on the other side, Ware blasted the interior thrice, and they triggered the bonus for the last seven minutes and change, taking 18 more free throws, making 17. On top of that, Wiggins added a transition strike and buried an up top 3-pointer.

 

The Heat went into the fourth quarter ahead by nine, while the Cavs were without Atkinson because he was ejected after receiving his second technical foul while Mitchell was at the line with 32 seconds left of the third.

 

Despite Mitchell making one shot in seven tries, the Heat’s pressure faltered down the stretch as the Cavaliers had them on the back foot after nailing seven 3-pointers, four of them belonging to Sam Merrill. Jaquez had to bail the out with a spin through the lane, making a floater to force over time.

 

It took the Heat putting them in a scramble with an elevator set design by assistant coach Chris Quinn. He set up Nikola Jović on a sideline out of bounds for a lob to Wiggins cutting through the middle unchallenged to win the game. He got loose by the screen that Davion Mitchell set for De’Andre Hunter. Later Spoelstra said “I’ve had that play on my card listed as CQ for four years. When it got to that point, Quinny said we should run that. I said, you know what, there’s no better person to diagram it than the one who came up with the thing.”

 

The final score was 140-138. The Heat had seven double-digit scores and took 41 free throws, making 36. Notably, Jaquez had a Herculean impact off the bench, dropping 22 points on 58.3% shooting, with 12 rebounds and seven dimes. Additionally, their half-court attack wasn’t as strong, but they were able to put up 104 points per 100 possessions, good enough for the 74th percentile, per Cleaning the Glass, and they improved to 7-4.

 

Powell joked after the game, “Wiggs turned back the clock a little bit,” and Spoelstra said Ware had the best night of his career.

–

The Heat will play the Cavaliers again on Wednesday.

 

 

Florida Atlantic’s offensive chemistry paying off at the right time

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Quarterbacks transferring from one school to the next have become quite common in today’s college football.

Transferring with your receiver, however, is the unique circumstance that is finally paying off for Florida Atlantic.

After three seasons at Western Kentucky, redshirt junior quarterback Caden Veltkamp arrived in Boca Raton along with receiver Easton Messer intending to be the straw stirring the drink that is first-year head coach Zach Kittley’s offense.

For Messer, that chemistry paid off during the Owls’ 40-21 win over Tulsa on Nov. 8. The fourth-year receiver caught three touchdown passes for the first time in his career, two of which weren’t by design.

“A lot of times you know this should work if I run the right route, if I run it good,” Messer said. “I was pretty excited when he checked those two.”

Veltkamp checked out of a play after seeing a favorable matchup with the Tulsa defense and tossed a 44-yard deep pass to Messer in the second quarter, giving the Owls a 17-6 lead.

“They were playing man coverage, they had seven guys in the box,” Veltkamp said. “A slot fade is not a great check but I don’t care what leverage you are, I’m gonna take Easton to win it.”

Later in the second quarter, Veltkamp saw Tulsa playing man coverage again and chose to exploit their matchup with Messer for another touchdown.

“Right before I snapped it, I checked into a corner, just to make it easy for him,” Veltkamp said. “The second [touchdown] was based on leverage. Easton ran two great routes. I just threw him the ball.”

Messer even threw a pass to Veltkamp for a change. A trick play from receiver to quarterback resulted in seven yards and on the one-yard line. The next pass resulted in a loss and the Owls had to settle for a field goal.

“They’re fun but we got to score on the next one for sure,” Veltkamp said.

With 2,596 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions through nine games, Veltkamp is close to his offensive totals last year when he led WKU to eight wins and, ironically, the Boca Raton Bowl. While a majority of his yards have gone to Messer, Jayshon Platt, and Asaad Waseem, Veltkamp has thrown a touchdown pass to eight different receivers. After the game, he emphasized the importance of developing a rapport with the entire receiving room as the season progresses.

“It should always continue to progress and get better,” Veltkamp said. “It should never get worse.”

Veltkamp wasn’t the only quarterback to throw a touchdown pass to Messer last week. His third score came from veteran backup quarterback Zach Gibson on a nine-yard flea-flicker pass in the fourth quarter.

“That’s a crucial play right there,” Gibson said. “If we don’t get that, they’ve got all the momentum. I didn’t try to put too much pressure on myself but I knew the play was going to work. When you have trust in your guys, good things are going to happen.”

Gibson, a 25-year-old graduate student, is on his fourth team in six seasons. He spent the first three years at Akron, where he threw for 1,262 yards and 10 touchdowns without an interception in 2021.

“Zach has played a lot of football,” Messer said. “He’s gonna come in and spin it.”

Gibson came in for Veltkamp in the second half as a way to preserve the starting quarterback’s health. 

“Being a backup quarterback is a lot like being a bullpen pitcher,” Gibson said. “When your number is called, you’ve got to be ready to go.”

At 4-5 entering the final three games of the season, the Owls have a chance to finish with bowl eligibility. The Owls are 1-4 away from the nest and are entering their final road game of the season at Tulane on Saturday, Nov. 15, which is contending for an American Athletic Conference championship. The Owls are 3-1 at home and will finish the regular season by hosting UConn and East Carolina, another conference championship contender.

Florida Atlantic’s improving offense will be put to the test through the final stretch of the season.

De'Von Achane runs for one of his two touchdowns in the Dolphins' win against the Bills.

Pressure Point: Dolphins frustrate Bills’ Allen, show they have McDaniel’s back

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Well, well, well.

The Miami Dolphins’ 30-13 upset of Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium was like looking out and spotting a chartreuse unicorn in your backyard.

Seeing Allen frustrated by the Dolphins is something rarely if ever seen before. They went toe-to-toe with their long-time nemesis and prevailed, ending a seven-game skid against their division rival.

They made big plays on offense, led by De’Von Achane’s 225 yards from scrimmage (174 yards rushing) and two touchdowns.

The provided an eye-opening response following a humbling loss to the Ravens, the firing of long-time general manager Chris Grier and the trade of popular linebacker Jaelan Phillips.

Clearly all of that was a wakeup call for the Dolphins, who coach Mike McDaniel described as “quite honestly, a little salty.”

The Miami defense, especially, played pissed off and determined. Which begs the question why that mindset wasn’t more prevalent in many of the lackluster performances earlier in the season.

“It’s pretty obvious from their play they didn’t believe their season was over,” said McDaniel, whose job is in jeopardy due to the team’s ragged play the first half of the season. “They chose to believe, throughout the whole thing … They made that decision to continue to believe and continue to invest in each other.”

Win detrimental to Dolphins’ draft position

The one conclusion that can be drawn is that this team has not quit on its coach.

For Dolphins, now 3-7 amid a disappointing season, it’s something to build on, though it didn’t aid the larger rebuilding task ahead of them, in regards to draft position.
It was a surreal day for the Fins and their fans.

It began with a report by NFL insider Tom Pelissero made the best pitch of any team for Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle at the trade deadline last week. According to Pelissero, the Bills offered a first-round draft pick in 2027 and a third-rounder in 2026.

The Dolphins reportedly wanted the first-round pick in 2026, so no deal.

That brought mixed reaction from Dolfans, especially those who want the team to tank this season and accumulate as much draft capital for the future as possible.

Building through the draft is the way to go, but I’m not onboard with trading one of their best assets on offense to an opponent in their division that they must find a way to get past in the years ahead.

That was a mistake the franchise made in 2007 when they traded wide receiver Wes Welker to the Patriots for a couple of draft picks. It haunted the Dolphins for years, while Welker contributed significantly to the Patriots dynasty as a favorite target of Tom Brady.

Jaylen Waddle has big game after nearly being traded

Fitting that Waddle reiterated his value to the Dolphins with five receptions for 84 yards, including a spectacular 38-yard grab from Tua Tagovailoa for the game’s first touchdown while being covered so aggressively by Bills rookie Maxwell Hairston drew a flag for interference.

Keep in mind, if they trade Waddle, their best receiver in the absence of injured Tyreek Hill – who may never suit up for Miami again – that becomes a big hole to fill.

In addition, any draft picks that might have been acquired from the Super Bowl-contending Bills figure to be late-round.

While Tagovailoa (two touchdown passes, two interceptions) led the offense to four touchdowns and a field goal, it was the defense that stood out in throttling a dangerous opponent.

Allen, the Bills’ super-star quarterback, has owned them. Often he has humiliated them. He came in 14-2 against Miami.

Dolphins’ defense gives inspired effort

Sunday was altogether different. The Dolphins defense intercepted him in the endzone and forced him to fumble in the fourth quarter while a comeback was still within reach. They sacked him three times and had seven quarterback hits.

They also contained running back James Cook (53 yards, 4.1 per carry).

They played with resolve rarely seen this season, led by Jordyn Brooks, Bradley Chubb, Tyrel Dodson and Mikah Fitzpatrick. Zach Sieler finally got his first sack of the season and Ifeatu Melifonwu his first interception as a Dolphin.

With veteran cornerback Rasul Douglas out with an injury, they got strong play from young cornerbacks including Jack Jones (forced fumble), JuJu Brents (fumble recovery) and Jason Marshall Jr.

This game did nothing to alter the balance of power in the AFC East. It could be viewed as a trap game for the Bills, who were coming off an emotional win over the Kansas City Chiefs, the main obstacle for their Super Bowl ambition.

This reminded me of the “Wildcat game” in 2008 when the lowly Dolphins stunned the Patriots 38-13. The Patriots were on a 21-game regular-season winning streak and 12.5-point favorites. They were surprised by running back Ronnie Brown taking shotgun snaps in a college-style offense.

This one wasn’t built around a gimmick. Instead the Dolphins gave the sort of determined effort, on offense and defense, that they struggled to muster until this season wilted into a lost cause.

Dolphins remain an enigma despite win over Bills

“I’m proud of this team,” Tagovailoa said.

How much of what they exhibited in beating the Bills convincingly is who they really are?

The seven remaining games will provide a more definitive answer. As well as determine whether McDaniel remains as coach beyond this season and how much of the roster is worth retaining as a foundation.

It is said that a team is what its record says it is. By that measure, the Dolphins are a 3-7 team with numerous flaws. It remains to be seen who will be entrusted with improving the roster in the ongoing quest of the first playoff win in a quarter century.

But give them credit, against the Bills they played with the sort of conviction and competence it takes to achieve that objective. For one week, at least, they answered the charge that their coach and quarterback can’t win against playoff-caliber teams.

Even the embarrassed Fins  fan with a paper bag over his head had his arms up in celebration.

And for once, Josh Allen was left wearing a frown.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for more than four decades. Follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @CraigDavisRuns.